Midland, TX — In his Double-A debut, Henry Baez pitched into the sixth inning and left the game with the lead intact for the San Antonio Missions. The RockHounds, however, stormed for seven unanswered runs once Baez exited to win 8-2 and jump ahead in this six-game series.

Denzel Clarke and Shane McGuire did much of the damage offensively for Midland with three and two runs batted in respectively. Clarke’s bases-clearing double in the sixth put the RockHounds ahead, and they never looked back. Meanwhile, RockHounds starter Blake Beers worked around traffic to complete seven innings and earn the win.

Baez struck out the first batter he faced before a rude welcome from Jack Winkler, who deposited a solo shot onto the left field berm. His blast opened the scoring and placed Midland up 1-0 after one inning.

San Antonio answered with two runs against Beers, one via a wild pitch and another via a Cole Cummings sacrifice fly. The Missions held this lead until the sixth, when Junior Perez golfed a line drive to left field and hustled all the way to third for a triple. This knocked Baez out with the Missions up 2-1.

Jason Blanchard entered from the bullpen, and the RockHounds wasted no time greeting him. McGuire attacked the first pitch and tied the game with a run-scoring double. Brayan Buelvas followed with a single while Jeisson Rosario walked to load the bases for Clarke. The third-ranked prospect in the Oakland Athletic system scorched the ball past the dive of third baseman Jarryd Dale, and it rattled around in the corner long enough to score three RockHounds and put Midland ahead 5-2.

Jeremy Eierman added a sacrifice fly in the sixth. Ryan Och came in from the bullpen for the seventh and eighth, and he gave up an RBI double to McGuire and a sacrifice fly to Cooper Bowman. By the ninth inning, Midland led 8-2. That remained the score as Ryan Cusick finished his second scoreless frame and ended the night for the Missions.

Post-Game Notes

• Final Score: 8-2
  
• With the loss, San Antonio falls to 14-11, 45-48 on the season
  
• Henry Baez (Missions starter): 5.1 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, BB, 3 K – Double-A debut
  
• Blake Beers (RockHounds tarter): 7 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, BB, 6 K
  

Prospect Recap

• Robby Snelling (#2 Padres prospect, #45 MLB): DNP
  
• Ryan Bergert (#7 Padres prospect): Scheduled to pitch Sunday, July 28th
  
• Austin Krob (#9 Padres prospect): DNP
  
• Victor Lizarraga (#10 Padres prospect): DNP
  
• Brandon Valenzuela (#11 Padres prospect): 1-4
  
• Marcos Castañon (#13 Padres prospect): DNP
  
• Henry Baez (#30 Padres prospect): 5.1 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, BB, 3 K - Double-A debut
  
• Denzel Clarke (#3 A’s prospect): 1-3, 2B, 3 RBI, R, BB
  
• Daniel Susac (#5 A’s prospect): DNP
  
• Henry Bolte (#10 A’s prospect): DNP
  
• Jack Perkins (#14 A’s prospect): Scheduled to pitch Sunday, July 28th
  
• Gunnar Hoglund (#16 A’s prospect): DNP
  
• Cooper Bowman (#17 A’s prospect): 1-4, K, RBI
  
• Ryan Cusick (#19 A’s prospect): 2 IP, BB, K
  
• Tyler Baum (#21 A’s prospect): DNP
  
• Brennan Milone (#22 A’s prospect): 2-5, HR, RBI, R
  
• Brayan Buelvas (#29 A’s prospect): 1-4, R, 2 K
  

The San Antonio Missions will conclude their six-game series with the Midland RockHounds on Sunday, July 28th. Right-hander Ryan Bergert (1-7, 6.24) gets the start for San Antonio. Right-hander Jack Perkins (1-1, 4.18) is scheduled to pitch for Midland. Sunday’s first pitch is slated for 1:00 p.m. from Momentum Bank Ballpark.